Rolling carousel



R. I. GENIN ROLLING CAROUSEL Jan. 28, 1969 Sheet of .3

Filed Jan. 5, 1967 R. I. GENIN 3,423,873 ROLLING CAROUSEL Jan-28, 1969Sheet Filed Jan. 5, 1967 INVENTORL I 6.5

flJ ZOIPA EX Jan. 28, 1969 R. 1.v GENIN 3,423,873

ROLLING CAROUSEL Filed Jan. 5, 1967 Sheet l of 5 United States Patent 4Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rolling toy carousel in which aturntable supported on a wagon is arranged to rotate as the wagon ispulled. Mounted above the turntable is a circular array of xylophonebars which are struck in sequence by a hammer operatively linked to theturntable, the hammer being caused to rock back and forth as theturntable rotates.

This invention relates generally to rolling toys, and more particularlyto a rolling carousel which is caused both to rotate and to play a tuneas the toy is pulled.

Carousels or merry-go-rounds, which are often found in amusement parksand carnivals, consist essentially of a turntable having seats thereonin the form of horses or other animals. The turntable rotates about afixed center, usually to the accompaniment of calliope music. Because oftheir popularity, miniature versions of carousels have been produced astoys. The turntable of such toys is generally operated by a crank orspring-wound motor.

Pull toys are known which produce sounds as the toy is pulled by achild. Such toys usually include a reciprocating hammer which isoperatively coupled to the wheels of the toy, the hammer being arrangedto strike a bell or tone bar. The drawback to such toys is that thesounds are repetitive in nature and are not in a musical sequence.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a toycarousel mounted on wheels and adapted to turn as well as to producemusical effects as the toy is pulled.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a pulltoy of the above type, having a turntable operatively coupled to thewheels of a wagon, the turn table having a circular cage of musical barsmounted thereon which are struck in sequence by a hammer as theturntable rotates.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rolling carousel ofsimple, inexpensive, 'but sturdy design, which may be manufactured atlow cost.

A significant feature of this invention is that the toy intermingles thepleasures to be derived from both a carousel and a pull toy, acombination of motions and of sounds being produced concurrently. Inpulling the toy, the child experiences the rolling motion of the wagon,the rotation of the carousel and the reciprocation of the hammer, aswell as the musical sounds accompanying these actions.

Briefly stated, these objects are accomplished in a toy constituted by aflat-bed wagon having a turntable mounted thereon, the turntable beingperipherally driven by a pinion operatively geared to the shaft of oneset of wheels, such that as the wagon is pulled, the turntable is causedto rotate slowly. Mounted on the turntable about a circular cage is aseries of tone-producing bars which are struck in sequence by a hammer.The hammer is mounted on a rocker which is actuated by pegscircumferentially arranged about the turntable so that as the turntablerotates, the hammer is caused to rock outwardly in advance of each bar,and when the bar is in alignment with the hammer, the hammer is thenreleased to strike the bar.

3,423,873 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 In the course of a single rotation ofthe turntable all of the bars thereon are struck in sequence to producea melody which is repeated when the turntable makes its next revolution.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objectsand further features thereof, reference is made to the followingdetailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rolling carousel toy in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the toy, a portion thereof being cut away toexpose the gear arrangement for turning the turntable;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section taken along the plane indicated by line3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 separately shows the hammer mechanism before it is actuated;

FIG. 5 shows the hammer mechanism as it is being actuated;

FIG. 6 tone bars;

FIG. 7 is a section taken along the line 77 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the carousel with removed.

Referring now to the drawings, and mOre particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and3, there is shown a rolling carousel in accordance with the invention,the toy comprising a fiatbed wagon 10, having a front set of wheels 11and 12 and a rear set 13 and 14. The wagon is pulled by a string 15 orby other means.

A vertical spindle 16 is anchored on the wagon at the center thereof,and rotating thereon is a circular platform or turntable 17 whose rim17A is provided with gear teeth, the turntable having a vertical flangeportion 18. Supported above turntable 17 is a circular array ofxylophone bars 19 of various lengths to provide distinct tones in asequence producing a simple melody. The bars in the array thereof lieagainst a cage 20 having the configuration of a truncated cone, thelower edge of which is received in a circular trackway 21 on theturntable. The upper edge of cage 20 is received within the circulartrackway 22 of a spider 23 covered by a tent-like canopy 24.

The rear set of wheels 13 and 14 is mounted on an axle 25 having a drivegear 26 thereon which is at right angles to and intermeshes with theteeth of a transmission gear 27. Gear 27 is disposed at the underside ofthe wagon l0 and is linked by a stub shaft 28 to a pinion 29 disposed onthe top side of the wagon, the pinion in turn engaging the teeth 17A onthe periphery of the turntable. Thus as the wheels turn when the wagonis pulled, drive gear 26 rotates, and through the associated gear train,causes the turntable to turn about spindle 16. The speed of rotationdepends on how fast the wagon is pulled and the gear ratio.

Cage 20, which may be molded in a single sheet, is composed, as bestseen in FIG. 6, of slightly tapered rectangular sections, the first ofwhich is identified by numeral 20A and the last, by 20N. These sectionsare interconnected by flexible hinge portions of reduced thickness whichmake it possible to bend the interconnected sections into theconfiguration of a truncated cone which is completed by joining the endsections together. Section 20A is provided with a pair of extension armsX and Y having pins X' and Y projecting therefrom which entercorresponding bores in section 20N.

Each section of the cage is provided with a window, on opposing edges ofwhich are disposed small posts 30 and 31, projecting through rubberdiscs 32 and 33, respectively. The tone bars 19 have openings to receiveposts 30 and 31, the bars being thus suspended on the cage butillustrates the framework for supporting the the canopy beingacoustically isolated therefrom by the rubber discs, so that the barsmay vibrate freely.

Mounted on top of the wagon adjacent the front set of wheels is areciprocating hammer mechanism having a ball 34 attached to the end of astick 35, extending upwardly from a pivoted rocker 36. A compressionspring 37 urges the rocker to swing the ball against a tone bar. Rocker36 is provided with a cam extension 38 in the form of a curved stripwhich has a sight inclination relative to the horizontal plane.

Projecting outwardly from flange 18 on the turntable is a series ofspaced pegs 39, each peg being positioned thereon intermediate the tonebars thereabove. As the turntable rotates in the counterclockwisedirection (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5), the pegs travel under cam 38 of the rockerand engage the undersurface of the cam, causing the rocker to swingoutwardly to compress spring 37 and thereby withdrawing the hammer fromthe bars. When the moving peg exits from cam 38, rocker 36 is releasedand the hammer is then caused by the spring to swing inwardly to strikethe bar then in its path. Thus as the turntable rotates, the pegssuccessively cause the hammer to swing outwardly in advance of each barand then to release the hammer to strike the 'bar.

It will be seen that the bars have numbers and letters thereon, eachrepresenting a note in the scale. By the proper choice of bars, anydesired melody may be played in the course of a single cycle ofturntable movement. In practice, the bars may be replaceable, so thatthe child is able to arrange the toy to play different melodies.Consequently, as the child pulls the wagon, the turntable is caused torotate, this rotation causing the hammer to reciprocate and to strikesuccessive bars. To further simulate a carousel, the bars may haveanimal figures painted thereon.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment ofrolling carousel in accordance with the invention, it will beappreciated that many changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout, however, de-

parting from the essential spirit of the invention as defined in theannexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A rolling carousel comprising,

(a) a wagon having at least one set of wheels,

(b) a turntable mounted for rotation on said wagon,

(c) means operatively coupling said turntable to said set of wheels tocause rotation of the turntable as the wheels turn,

(d) an array of tone-producing elements supported on said turntable,said elements being constituted by Xylophone bars mounted on a conicalcage,

(e) a reciprocating hammer mechanism associated with said elements, and

(f) means operatively coupled to said turntable to cause said mechanismto reciprocate to cause the hammer thereof successively to strike eachof said elements in said array in the course of a single revolution ofthe turntable.

2. A rolling carousel as set forth in claim 1, wherein said meanscausing rotation of said turntable includes a pinion engaging teeth onthe periphery of the turntable, and gear means intercoupling the set ofwheels with said pinion.

3. A rolling carousel as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hammermechanism is constituted by a rocker for supporting the hammer, saidrocker having a cam extension which is engaged by a series of pegsprojecting from the turntable.

4. A carousel as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cage is formed byrectangular sections which are hinged together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,566,411 12/1925 Lopez 27231LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

H. DINITZ, Assistant Examiner.

